All newspapers read on Monday about the protests of labour unions who urge the government to stop layoffs and increase the minimum wage. However, if the government will satisfy the demands, budgetary payments would be ceased shortly for lack of money. Also in the news, police officers give up patrolling, fines and block penal investigations as a sign of protest. Elsewhere in the news, Romania needs to open up a credit line of 10 billion euro.
Labour unions demand the end of lay offs and an increase of the minimum wage, Romania libera reads. Experts however claim that by higher spending, the state will maintain fiscal pressure on the private systems.
Unions attempt to force the government into increasing revenues but they forget that the government does not have the money to maintain those that there are currently. Last year's history repeats: before Presidential elections, unions protested to have their salaries increased.
In June 2010, they protested to freeze salaries at their level while now, they urge their increase even though a freeze is what they can obtain at most. Ironically, if the government would give in, the state will cease paying anything. With spending out of control and no IMF financing, Romania will not manage to find money to cover a budgetary deficit with can well exceed 10%.
Therefore, the government cannot give in and will, unions claim, just freeze minimum salaries for the next two years.
Leaders of the unions across the country threaten to organize protest after protest until the government will give in. The demands are: to eliminate the 25% cut, a minimum wage of 750 lei for 2010.
Also about protests, Evenimentul Zilei reads about the police officers, who are ready to give up patrolling, fines and penal investigations. Even though the men of law will not attend protests, they w